CN116113515A - Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece processing device and method for measuring a distance - Google Patents
Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece processing device and method for measuring a distance Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CN116113515A CN116113515A CN202180062988.2A CN202180062988A CN116113515A CN 116113515 A CN116113515 A CN 116113515A CN 202180062988 A CN202180062988 A CN 202180062988A CN 116113515 A CN116113515 A CN 116113515A
- Authority
- CN
- China
- Prior art keywords
- laser
- measuring
- processing
- tool
- workpiece
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 156
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 34
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 132
- 238000003754 machining Methods 0.000 claims description 37
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000002441 reversible effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000001066 destructive effect Effects 0.000 claims 2
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 17
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 13
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 13
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000011109 contamination Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000006059 cover glass Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005305 interferometry Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005304 joining Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000470 constituent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007796 conventional method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006735 deficit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001771 impaired effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009420 retrofitting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009834 vaporization Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/02—Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
- B23K26/03—Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/02—Positioning or observing the workpiece, e.g. with respect to the point of impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam
- B23K26/04—Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K26/14—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor
- B23K26/1462—Nozzles; Features related to nozzles
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
- Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to a measuring device (1, 20) for a laser tool (2) for measuring a distance (30) between the measuring device (1, 20) and an object (7), having a laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) by means of which a measuring laser beam (23) can be radiated onto the object (7, 25), which measuring laser beam, upon impact on the object (7, 25), can be reflected by the object (7, 25) as a reflected measuring laser beam (28) and can be received by the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22), and having a housing (17) in which the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) is arranged. According to the invention, the housing (17) has an outer shape (18) which corresponds to an outer shape (19) of the optical protection element (5, 16) of the processing laser optical system (4) of the laser tool (2), whereby the housing (17) and thus the measuring instrument (1, 20) can be inserted into the laser tool (2). The invention also relates to a laser tool (2) having such a measuring device (1, 20), a workpiece processing device (3), in particular a workpiece processing robot, and a method for measuring a distance (24).
Description
The invention relates to a measuring instrument for a laser tool according to claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a laser tool according to claim 6, which can be equipped with such a measuring instrument. The invention relates to a workpiece processing device with a laser tool according to claim 7. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for measuring a distance between a laser tool and a workpiece according to claim 8.
Methods of manufacturing based on laser beams or methods of machining a workpiece by means of a laser machining system require exact and accurate knowledge of the beam profile of the machining laser beam or machining laser beam cluster impinging on the workpiece at the machining point, also called tool center point (english: tool Center Point, abbreviation: TCP). The beam profile of the processing laser beam is determined by beam parameters such as focal diameter, beam waist position, laser beam power, beam parameter product (beam quality) and wavelength. The variable and strongly influencing parameter is the position of the beam waist relative to the workpiece or processing point. Currently, measuring devices or principles are used for measuring the beam profile, by means of which, although the beam profile can be measured with high accuracy when the laser processing system is put into operation, they severely disturb the process flow, since these conventional measuring devices or principles are particularly complex. Because of the undesirably long commissioning time for example for using such a measuring device on/in a laser machining system. As a result, the laser processing system requires particularly long downtime, which results in uneconomical operation of the laser processing system.
Short-term checking of the beam parameters during mass production operations, for example in mass production of vehicle bodies, is therefore particularly costly in this respect, since the laser processing system has to be stopped for a long time for this purpose. Thus, it is only with particularly high outlay possible to reflect process disturbances and negative external influences (e.g. contamination of the processing laser optical system, for example of the cover glass, actuators, for example of the robot, of the laser processing system, etc.) in a suitable and rapid manner during the production process. In some cases, undesired displacements of the machining point, which may occur, for example, as a result of a (even slight) collision of the elements of the laser machining system with other objects and/or as a result of the actuator no longer functioning exactly as intended, can lead to the desired position of the beam waist no longer being exactly aligned with the workpiece, which can lead to a dimensional stability and quality impairment of the joining connection or joint of the workpieces machined or produced by the laser machining system within a batch. It is therefore necessary to be able to react particularly rapidly to these process disturbances in order to produce process reliability and dimensional stability of the workpiece particularly advantageously.
Patent document US 2019/015931 A1 discloses a device and a method for measuring the distance between a laser processing head and a workpiece, wherein a measuring beam is coupled into a processing light path of the processing beam and focused onto the surface of the workpiece by a focusing lens of the processing light path, wherein the reflected measuring beam and a reference measuring beam are superimposed and supplied to an analysis unit, which detects the distance between the laser processing head and the workpiece on the basis of interferometry.
However, this conventional device or conventional method is particularly complex on the one hand, since the measuring beam has to be deflected several times in order to couple the measuring beam into the processing light path, so that the construction of this device is particularly complex. Furthermore, the particularly complex measurement principle of interferometry leads to the particularly high outlay required for measuring the distance between the laser processing head and the workpiece by means of such conventional devices.
The object of the present invention is to provide a measuring device by means of which the distance between a workpiece and the measuring device can be measured particularly efficiently.
This object is achieved by a measuring instrument having the features specified in claim 1. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a laser tool having the features specified in claim 6 and by a workpiece processing device having the features specified in claim 7. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method having the features specified in claim 8.
Features, advantages and advantageous designs of the measuring instrument according to the invention should be regarded as features, advantages and advantageous designs of the laser tool according to the invention and vice versa. Features, advantages and advantageous designs of the laser tool according to the invention should be regarded as features, advantages and advantageous designs of the workpiece processing device according to the invention and vice versa. Features, advantages and advantageous designs of the device according to the invention are to be regarded as features, advantages and advantageous designs of the method according to the invention, wherein the means of the device can be used or used for carrying out the steps of the method. The features, advantages and advantageous designs described in relation to the method according to the invention should likewise be regarded as features, advantages and advantageous designs of the device according to the invention.
The measuring instrument according to the invention is provided for a laser tool, wherein the laser tool is designed in particular for projecting a processing laser beam onto, onto and/or into a workpiece in order to process the workpiece by means of the processing laser beam. Such laser machining includes, for example, removing or separating material, joining, such as welding material, modifying the surface of a workpiece, and the like. It is particularly important for laser processing that the workpiece is oriented particularly precisely with respect to the laser tool or that the laser tool is oriented particularly precisely with respect to the workpiece in order to ensure a particularly high quality of the laser processing and thus of the workpiece. Since the machining laser beam with a beam waist is formed by the machining laser optical system of the laser tool during operation of the laser tool, the position of the beam waist characterizes the machining point of the laser tool (TCP: tool center point). Thus, if the actual distance and target distance between the laser tool and the workpiece differ from each other in an undesirable manner, the beam waist and thus the machining point may be misplaced in an undesirable manner with respect to the workpiece. Thus, in laser machining of workpieces, the quality of the laser machining and/or the quality of the workpiece being machined is impaired.
In order to measure the distance (i.e., the actual distance) between the measuring device and an object, in particular a workpiece, the measuring device has a laser triangulation sensor, by means of which a measuring laser beam can be radiated from the measuring device onto the object (or onto the object). In the event of an impact to an object or workpiece, the measuring laser beam can be reflected by the object, in particular by the outer surface of the object, as a reflected measuring laser beam, so that the reflected measuring laser beam is directed towards the laser triangulation sensor, wherein the reflected measuring laser beam can then be received by the laser triangulation sensor. In this case, the measuring laser beam is (at least partially) fed back onto the surface of the object or workpiece as a reflected measuring laser beam in the direction of the laser triangulation sensor, forming a reflection angle between the measuring laser beam and the reflected measuring laser beam, wherein the reflection angle corresponds to the distance of the object or workpiece between the measuring instrument and the workpiece. This means that the reflected measuring laser beam reaches/enters the laser triangulation sensor at an angle of incidence that is dependent on the angle of reflection, wherein the distance between the measuring instrument and the object can be detected or determined by processing the magnitude of the angle of incidence by means of a suitable evaluation unit.
The measuring instrument also has a housing in which the laser triangulation sensor is arranged. In this case, the housing is at least partially transparent, so that it is possible to dispense a measuring laser beam which can be emitted by the laser triangulation sensor out of the housing and to dispense a reflected measuring laser beam into the housing. In other words, the housing is transmissive with respect to the reflected measuring laser beam and the wavelength of the use of the measuring laser beam.
In order to improve the measuring device in such a way that the distance between the workpiece and the measuring device can be measured particularly efficiently, it is provided according to the invention that the housing has an external shape which corresponds to the external shape of the optical protection element of the processing laser optical system of the laser tool. The housing and thus the laser triangulation sensor (i.e. the measuring instrument as a whole) can thus be inserted into the laser tool, for example into the housing of the laser tool, in particular into the processing laser optical system. The processing laser optical system has, in particular, a plurality of optical elements, such as lenses, mirrors (or mirrors), prisms, etc., and/or combinations thereof. In order to protect these refractive optical elements from external contamination (e.g. to prevent melting, vaporization, tearing or lifting of the workpiece material by the processing laser beam), the processing laser optical system has in particular an optical protection element, which is designed, for example, to protect a glass plate. Such optical protection elements, i.e. for example, protection glass plates, are in particular designed to pass light as undisturbed as possible, in particular to not refract or to only refract light very slightly. In particular, the housing of the laser tool, for example of the processing laser optical system, is formed at least in part by an optical protection element or by a protective glass plate, so that it is ensured that the processing laser beam emerging from the optical element, during operation of the laser tool, exits the housing through the optical element and in the direction of the workpiece.
The housing of the measuring instrument and the optical protection element thus correspond to one another in such a way that the housing of the measuring instrument can be inserted into the processing laser optical system of the laser tool instead of the optical protection element and, conversely, the optical protection element can also be inserted into the processing laser optical system of the laser tool instead of the housing of the measuring instrument.
The measuring instrument is designed to be particularly movable relative to the laser tool, i.e. configured separately relative to the laser tool. For example, the measuring instrument, in particular its housing, is designed as an insertion element corresponding to the receiving element of the laser tool, wherein the receiving element of the laser tool corresponds to both the housing of the measuring instrument and the optical protection element, so that the measuring instrument or the optical protection element can be inserted as a respective insertion element into the receiving element of the laser tool. Advantageously, the receiving element for the optical protection element ("cover glass drawer") is standardized, so that the position of the optical protection element relative to the machining point of the laser tool is known. Thus, in the case of a measuring instrument inserted into the laser tool, the position of the measuring instrument relative to the machining point of the laser tool is known. It is thus possible to determine the distance between the laser tool and the workpiece by means of the measuring instrument on the basis of the distance between the machining point and the optical protection element.
In general, it is conceivable for the measuring instrument to use a distance sensor, for example an ultrasonic sensor or the like, which is designed differently from the laser triangulation sensor, as a distance sensor (as an alternative or in addition to the laser triangulation sensor).
In a further embodiment of the measuring instrument, the measuring instrument has a mirror element in its housing, by means of which the measuring laser beam can be deflected in the direction of the object or workpiece and the reflected measuring laser beam can be deflected in the direction of the laser triangulation sensor. In particular, both the measuring laser beam and the reflected measuring laser beam are deflected by approximately 90 degrees by the mirror element. A particularly compact shape of the measuring instrument is thereby ensured, since, for example, a horizontal configuration can be realized, in which the radiation direction of the measuring laser beam leaving the laser triangulation sensor extends transversely to the optical center axis of the processing laser optical system of the laser tool, wherein the measuring laser beam extending transversely to the optical center axis is deflected by the mirror element, so that the measuring laser beam is finally directed in the direction of the object or workpiece. By means of a mirror element, for example a deflection mirror, the beam path or beam path of the measuring laser beam can thus be redirected into the beam path or beam path of the processing laser optical system, whereby it is advantageously achieved that the distance between the laser tool or measuring instrument and the object or workpiece can be detected directly at the processing point of the laser tool, which is particularly important for uneven workpieces. In other words, the distance formed directly between the processing laser optical system and the object is measured during operation of the measuring instrument. Because the measuring laser beam which can be emitted by the measuring laser beam can be projected by the mirror element coaxially with respect to the beam path or optical path of the processing laser beam and in particular at least partially through the processing laser optical system onto the processing point.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the measuring device, the measuring device has an output unit, by means of which a distance value can be provided that characterizes the distance between the measuring device and the object. The output unit has, for example, a display by means of which the distance value can be provided, which can be displayed, for example, in the form of text, in particular in the form of numerals. This enables, for example, an operator (person) of the measuring instrument and/or of the laser tool to read the distance value from the output unit, in particular from the display, in order to thereafter adjust or readjust the laser tool on the basis of the distance value in order to ensure a particularly high quality of the laser machining and thus of the workpiece.
In connection therewith, it has further proved to be advantageous if the output unit has a data communication element (as an alternative or in addition to the display) via which the distance value can be provided to the workpiece processing device in the form of data. In other words, it is provided that, in the operation of the measuring instrument, in particular of a laser tool, in particular as part of a workpiece processing device, a distance value is provided by an output unit of the workpiece processing device, in particular a control unit of the workpiece processing device, wherein the control unit of the workpiece processing device is designed, for example, to adjust or readjust an actuator of the workpiece processing device, for example a robot arm, on the basis of the provided distance value. Because, for example, the laser tool can be designed as a distal end piece of a robot, which forms the workpiece processing device. Equally well, however, it is conceivable for the laser tool to be arranged on the distal end part of the robot or the workpiece processing device. It is particularly advantageous if both the actuator of the workpiece processing device and the laser tool and in particular the measuring device can be controlled by the control unit of the workpiece processing device, for which purpose the measuring device is coupled or can be coupled to the control unit, for example. According to this embodiment, an operator can be dispensed with at least for adjustment or readjustment, since an automatic adjustment or readjustment process can be achieved by the measuring device interacting with the workpiece processing device in the manner described. The operator (for example, to trigger the adjustment or readjustment) advantageously only has to insert the measuring instrument into the processing laser optical system of the laser tool instead of the optical protection element. Thereby eliminating a source of human error from the adjustment or readjustment process by providing the distance value directly to the workpiece processing equipment via the data communication element.
In a further (second) aspect, the invention relates to a laser tool for laser machining an object, in particular a workpiece, having a measuring instrument designed as described above. Based on a measuring instrument designed for measuring the distance between the measuring instrument and the workpiece, the laser tool is provided for determining the distance between the object or workpiece and the laser tool in that the distance between the measuring instrument and the object or workpiece is measured by the measuring instrument and the distance between the object/workpiece and the laser tool is determined, e.g. calculated, therefrom. The laser tool has a laser light source and a processing laser optical system, wherein the processing laser optical system comprises a receiving element, by means of which an optical protection element of the processing laser optical system can be reversibly removed from the processing laser optical system in a lossless manner and/or can be inserted into the processing laser optical system.
In order to be able to measure the distance between the workpiece and the laser tool particularly efficiently by means of the laser tool, it is provided according to the invention in this aspect of the invention that the housing of the measuring device has an external shape which corresponds to the external shape of the optical protection element, whereby the housing and thus the measuring device can be reversibly, non-destructively, detachably inserted into and/or removed from the processing laser optical system. This means that the measuring instrument can be inserted into the processing laser optical system in a defined manner when the optical protection element is removed from the processing laser optical system in a defined manner. In other words, the optical protection element and the measuring instrument are each designed corresponding to the processing laser optical system, and therefore, the optical protection element and the measuring instrument can be exchanged for the processing laser optical system.
The invention also includes an extended design of the laser tool according to the invention with the features already described in relation to the extended design of the measuring instrument according to the invention. Accordingly, a corresponding expanded design of the laser tool according to the invention is not described here again.
According to a further (third) aspect of the invention, a workpiece processing apparatus, in particular a workpiece processing robot, has a laser tool designed according to the above. This means that the workpiece processing device is designed for particularly efficient measurement of the distance between the workpiece and the laser tool or the measuring instrument by means of the laser tool, in particular comprising the measuring instrument, in order to ensure a particularly high quality of the laser processing and thus of the (processed) workpiece.
The invention also includes an extended design of the workpiece processing device according to the invention with features already described in relation to the extended design of the measuring instrument according to the invention and/or in relation to the extended design of the laser tool according to the invention. Accordingly, these corresponding expanded designs of the workpiece processing apparatus according to the present invention will not be described again herein.
In a further (fourth) aspect, the invention also relates to a method for determining a distance between a laser tool and an object, for example, designed as a workpiece, wherein an optical protection element of the laser tool is reversibly removed without damage from a processing laser optical system of the laser tool and a measuring instrument is inserted into the processing laser optical system instead of the optical protection element. This means that the laser tool and the measuring instrument are designed as described above.
The invention also includes an expanded design of the method according to the invention with the features already described in relation to the measuring instrument according to the invention and/or the workpiece processing device according to the invention of the laser tool according to the invention. Accordingly, these corresponding expansion designs of the method according to the invention are not described here again.
The invention also includes combinations of features of the described embodiments.
Embodiments of the present invention are described below. For this purpose, the drawing shows a schematic representation of a laser tool with a processing laser optical system into which a measuring instrument or an optical protection element can be inserted.
The examples set forth below are preferred embodiments of the present invention. In this example, the described components of the embodiments are each individual features of the invention that can be seen independently of one another, which also form an extension of the invention, respectively, and can therefore also be regarded as constituent elements of the invention, either alone or in different combinations than the illustrated combination. Furthermore, the described embodiments may be supplemented by other features of the invention already described.
In the drawings, elements having the same function are respectively provided with the same reference numerals.
The measuring instrument 1, the laser tool 2, the workpiece processing apparatus 3, and the measuring method are collectively described below.
The drawing shows a schematic view of a laser tool 2 with a processing laser optical system 4 into which a measuring instrument 1 or an optical protection element 5 can be inserted. First, the laser tool 2 will be described, in which the optical protection element 5 is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4. The laser tool 2 is designed for projecting a processing laser beam 6 onto a workpiece 7, wherein a beam waist 8 of the processing laser beam 6 characterizes a processing point 9 of the laser tool 2. For example, the beam waist 8 coincides with the processing point 9. The position of the beam waist 8 and thus of the processing point 9 is decisively determined by the processing laser optical system indicated as a whole with reference number 4. For this purpose, the processing laser optical system 4 has at least two optical elements 10, for example lenses, mirrors, etc. By means of these optical elements 10, the laser light coupled into the processing laser optical system 4 is modified into the processing laser beam 6 during operation of the laser tool 2 by means of optical physics, i.e. the laser light is focused, refracted, deflected, reflected, etc., for example, so that the position of the beam waist 8 and thus the processing point 9 of the laser tool 2 is ultimately produced. The processing laser optical system 4 has an optical center axis 11, which forms, for example, a longitudinal center axis of the processing laser optical system 4. The optical intermediate axis 11 or the longitudinal central axis of the processing laser optical system 4 characterizes, for example, the beam path or the light path of the processing laser beam 6.
The laser light converted into the processing laser beam 6 by the processing laser optical system 4 is coupled into the optical element 10 of the processing laser optical system 4 by the processing laser light source 13 on the input side 12 of the processing laser optical system 4, so that said laser light is emitted as processing laser beam 6 on the output side 14 of the processing laser optical system 4. The processing laser light source 13 may be, for example, a laser diode and/or another laser light source, wherein it is to be understood in particular that the processing laser light source 13 may be arranged remotely from the processing laser optical system 4, so that the processing laser may be coupled into the processing laser optical system 4 on the input side 12, for example, by means of a light-conducting element, for example a light-conducting cable.
The processing laser optical system 4 and thus the laser tool 2 also have an optical protection element 5 by which the optical element 10 is protected against contamination or damage when the material of the workpiece 7 melted during its laser processing is ejected or lifted. For this purpose, an optical protection element 5, which is designed, for example, as a protective glass plate, is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4, in particular coaxially with respect to the optical center axis 11. For this purpose, the laser tool 2, in particular the machining laser optical system 4, has a receiving element 15 corresponding to the optical protection element 5, wherein the optical protection element 5 forms a (first) insertion element 16, so that the optical protection element 5 or the first insertion element 16 of the laser tool 2 or the machining laser optical system 4 and the receiving element 15 are designed to form a holding device. The holding device has a receiving element 15 and a first insertion element 16, i.e. an optical protection element 5, which is inserted into the receiving element. For example, it is provided that a friction fit and/or form fit is formed between the insertion element 16 and the receiving element 15 and thus between the optical protection element 5 and the receiving element, whereby the optical protection element 5 as the first insertion element 16 is held or can be held in a friction fit and/or form fit in the receiving element 15 of the machining laser optical system 4. In connection therewith, it is furthermore provided that the friction and/or form fit which is or can be achieved between the insertion element 16 and the receiving element 15 can be released in a lossless and reversible manner, so that the optical protection element 5 as the first insertion element 16 can be removed in a lossless and reversible manner from the receiving element 15 and thus from the processing laser optical system 4.
As will be explained in more detail below, the measuring instrument 1 has a housing 17, whose outer shape 18 is designed such that the measuring instrument 1 and the optical protection element 5 have the same outer shape 18, 19. In other words, the housing 17 of the measuring device 1 is designed such that the outer shape 18 of the measuring device 1 and the outer shape 19 of the optical protection element 5 correspond at least to the extent that the measuring device 1 can be inserted into the processing laser optical system 4 instead of the optical protection element 5. This means, for example, that the housing 17 of the measuring device 1 has means for achieving a friction and/or form fit between the measuring device 1 and the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4. In other words, a further (e.g. second) insertion element 20 for receiving the element 15 is formed by the measuring instrument 1. The measuring instrument 1 or the second insert element 20 and the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2 or the machining laser optical system 4 are therefore designed to form a holding device. The holding device has a receiving element 15 and a second insertion element 20 (as an alternative to the optical protection element 5) inserted into the receiving element, i.e. the measuring instrument 1.
The measuring instrument 1 has a distance sensor 21, in particular a laser triangulation sensor 22, by means of which a measuring laser beam 23 can be emitted or radiated, which can be directed at the workpiece 7, in particular at a surface 25 of the workpiece 7, in order to measure the distance 24. For this purpose, the laser triangulation sensor 22 or the distance sensor 21 has in this case a measuring laser light source 26, which is designed in particular differently from the processing laser light source 13. Furthermore, the measuring instrument 1 has a mirror element 27, by means of which the measuring laser beam 23 is directed at the workpiece 7 or at the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 during operation of the measuring instrument 1. In the event of the measuring laser beam 23 impinging on the surface 25 of the workpiece 7, this is reflected by the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 as a reflected measuring laser beam 28, wherein a reflection angle is formed between the measuring laser beam 23 and the reflected measuring laser beam 28, by means of which the distance 24 can be characterized. In this case, it is also provided that the measuring beam 23 and the reflected measuring beam 28 are each deflected by approximately 90 degrees by means of a mirror element 27, so that a particularly compact construction of the measuring instrument 1 can be achieved, for example, if the structure of the laser triangulation sensor 22 is particularly high, it is mounted horizontally.
In order to be able to determine the distance 24 of the laser tool 2, in particular the output side 14 of the laser tool 2, from the workpiece 7, in particular the surface 25 of the workpiece, in a particularly rapid and efficient manner during mass production, the optical protection element 5 or the first insertion element 16 can be removed from the laser tool 2, in particular from the processing laser optical system 4, depending on the method for measuring the distance 24. The measuring instrument 1 or the (second) insertion element 20 can then be inserted into the laser tool 2, in particular into the processing laser optical system 4, in that the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2 or the processing laser optical system 4. In other words, the optical protection element 5 is replaced by the measuring instrument 1 for measuring the distance 24. Before this, the processing laser beam 6 must be deactivated, for example by switching off the processing laser source 13.
Therefore, the laser tool 2 is described hereinafter, in which the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4. It can be seen that the measuring laser beam 23 is radiated onto the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 by the laser triangulation sensor 22 and by the mirror element 27, so that the measuring laser beam 23 is reflected as a reflected measuring laser beam 28 through the surface 25 to the laser triangulation sensor 22. Here, the reflected measuring laser beam 28 is deflected in this case by a mirror element 27. Since the geometric arrangement of the receiving element 15 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 facing the workpiece 7 is known, the geometric arrangement of the measuring instrument 1 inserted into the receiving element 15 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 is also known. In this method, for example, it is provided that the distance 30 separating the measuring device 1 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 from each other is detected or measured by the measuring device 1. Since the geometrical arrangement of the measuring instrument 1 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 is now known, the distance 24 by which the laser tool 2 and the workpiece 7 are spaced from each other can be determined by simple mathematical operations (which can be carried out in particular by a control unit or a computing unit (not shown) of the measuring instrument 1). In this way, the distance 24 can be precisely determined within a particularly short measuring time, for example within a few seconds, so that in this way it can be determined particularly simply whether the beam waist 8 or the processing point 9 is arranged in a desired manner with respect to the workpiece 7 in order to ensure a particularly high or advantageous quality of the laser processing and thus of the workpiece 7 processed by the laser processing.
Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the laser tool 2 or the workpiece machining device 3 with the laser tool 2 is calibrated together with the measuring device 1 when the laser tool 2 or the workpiece machining device 3 is put into operation, wherein, for example, a desired or desired distance between the end 29 of the laser tool 2 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 is adjusted manually. In this case, for example, the measuring device 1 can be adjusted such that deviations of the laser tool 2 and/or the workpiece 7 from the desired distance are detected by the measuring device 1 in that a distance greater or less than the desired distance is measured or detected by the measuring device 1.
In this example, the measuring instrument 1 also has an output unit 31, by means of which a distance value can be provided that characterizes the distance 24 and/or the distance 30. For example, it is provided that the output unit 31 has a display 32, so that the distance value can be provided to the operator of the laser tool 2 or the measuring instrument 1, for example in the form of text, in particular numbers. In a further advantageous embodiment of the measuring device 1, the output unit 31 has a data communication element 33 as an alternative or in addition to the display 32, via which the distance values can be provided in the form of data to the workpiece processing device 3, in particular to a control device of the workpiece processing device. This means, for example, that when measuring or detecting the distance 24, a distance value representing the distance 24 is provided by the measuring device 1 via the data communication element 33 to a control device of the workpiece processing device 3. In particular, provision is made here for the control device of the workpiece processing device 3 to be designed to receive the distance value as an input control signal, which means that the actuator 34 of the workpiece processing device 3 can be controlled by the control device on the basis of the distance value. In other words, it is possible in the workpiece processing device 3 to automatically or autonomously adjust the distance 24 as soon as the measuring instrument 1 is inserted in a defined manner into the processing laser optical system 4 or into the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2.
The workpiece processing device 3 has a laser tool 2 and therefore (if the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the laser tool 2) a measuring instrument 1. The workpiece processing device 3 is designed here as a workpiece processing robot or at least has a workpiece processing robot. This means that the actuator 34 of the workpiece processing device 3 can be designed, for example, as a robot actuator, wherein the laser tool 2 forms, for example, a distal end part of the workpiece processing robot or is arranged on this distal end part. Accordingly, the control device of the workpiece processing apparatus 3 is designed as a robot control device, to which the distance values are provided in the form of data, in particular via the data communication element 33 of the output unit 31, so that the robot control device (after the distance 24 has been detected by the measuring instrument 1) accordingly controls the workpiece processing robot, i.e. the actuator 34, for adjustment or readjustment. Thus, if there is a misalignment of the distance 24 such that the machining point 9 of the laser tool 2 forming the machining point of the workpiece machining device 3 is misplaced in an undesired manner with respect to the workpiece 7, the robot programming, according to which the actuator 34 or the robot actuator can be controlled or controlled, can be influenced, for example, in such a way that the distance 24 is (re) adjusted such that the machining point 9 of the laser tool 2 or the workpiece machining device 3 is arranged or arranged as desired with respect to the workpiece 7.
The invention generally indicates how the distance 24 can be measured particularly efficiently by the measuring device 1, by the laser tool 2, by the workpiece processing device 3 and/or by the method for measuring the distance, without, in particular, having to interrupt the mass production process or the mass processing process in a disadvantageous manner for a particularly long time. Since the measuring device 1 can be inserted as intended into the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4, a particularly long and disadvantageous setting time for the laser tool 2 for retrofitting it for measuring the distance 24 is dispensed with. Instead, the optical protection element 5 or the protective glass plate is removed in a simple manner from the receiving element 15, i.e. from the processing laser optical system 4, and the measuring instrument 1 can then be inserted into the receiving element 15, i.e. into the processing laser optical system 4, in the same way as efficiently or simply. This results in extremely short measuring times and particularly quick use, and no personnel are required to carry out such measurements beyond the expertise of operating the laser tool 2 and replacing or replacing the optical protection element 5.
Furthermore, the measuring instrument 1 has a particularly low cost, since it is particularly inexpensive compared to conventional measuring systems (which may take tens of thousands of euros), in particular less than one thousand euros. This results in a particularly economically advantageous measuring method, which contributes to a particularly high and particularly stable quality of the workpiece 7.
Furthermore, by projecting the measuring laser beam 23 along the beam path of the processing laser beam 6, for example along the optical intermediate axis 11, onto the surface 25 of the workpiece 7, the distance 24 between the laser tool 2 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 can be detected particularly accurately. Since the distance 24 is measured or detected directly at the processing point 9, this is better than detecting the distance 24 at a distance from the processing point 9.
List of reference numerals
1 measuring instrument
2 laser tool
3 work piece processing equipment
4 processing laser optical system
5 optical protection element
6 processing laser beam
7 work piece
8-beam waist
9 processing points
10 optical element
11 optical intermediate axis
12 input side
13 processing laser light source
14 output side
15 receiving element
16 insert element
17 shell body
18 external shape
19 external shape
20 insert element
21 distance sensor
22 laser triangulation sensor
23 measuring laser beam
24 distance of
25 surface
26 measuring laser light source
27 mirror element
28 reflection of the measuring laser beam
29 end portions
Distance of 30
31 output unit
32 display
33 data communication element
34 actuator
Claims (8)
1. Measuring device (1, 20) for a laser tool (2) for measuring a distance (30) between the measuring device (1, 20) and an object (7), having a laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) by means of which a measuring laser beam (23) can be radiated onto the object (7, 25), which measuring laser beam, upon impact onto the object (7, 25), can be reflected by the object (7, 25) as a reflected measuring laser beam (28) and can be received by the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22), and having a housing (17) in which the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) is arranged,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
the housing (17) has an outer shape (18) which corresponds to an outer shape (19) of an optical protection element (5, 16) of a processing laser optical system (4) of the laser tool (2), whereby the housing (17) and thus the measuring instrument (1, 20) can be inserted into the laser tool (2).
2. Measuring instrument (1, 20) according to claim 1,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
a mirror element (27) is arranged in the housing (17), by means of which mirror element the measuring laser beam (23) can be deflected in the direction of the object (7, 25) and the reflected measuring laser beam (28) can be deflected in the direction of the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22).
3. The measuring instrument (1, 20) according to claim 1 or 2,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
an output unit (31, 32, 33) is provided, by means of which a distance value representing the distance (30) between the measuring instrument (1, 20) and the object (7, 25) can be provided.
4. A measuring instrument (1, 20) according to claim 3,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
the output unit (31) has a display (32) by means of which the distance value can be provided.
5. The measuring instrument (1, 20) according to claim 3 or 4,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
the output unit (31) has a data communication element (33) and the distance value can be provided to the workpiece processing device (3) in the form of data.
6. A laser tool (2) for laser machining of an object (7), having a measuring device (1, 20) designed according to any one of the preceding claims, in order to be able to determine a distance (24) between the laser tool (2) and the object (7) by means of the laser tool (2), having a machining laser light source (13) and a machining laser optical system (4) having a receiving element (15) by means of which an optical protection element (5, 16) of the machining laser optical system (4) can be removed from the machining laser optical system (4) in a reversible and non-destructive manner,
it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,
the housing (17) of the measuring device (1) has an outer shape (18) which corresponds to the outer shape (19) of the optical protection element (5, 16), whereby the housing (17) and thus the measuring device (1, 20) can be reversibly inserted in a non-destructive manner into the processing laser optical system (4).
7. A workpiece processing apparatus (3) having a laser tool (2) designed according to claim 6.
8. Method for determining a distance (24) between a laser tool (2) designed according to claim 6 and an object (7), wherein an optical protection element (5, 16) of the laser tool (2) is reversibly removed from a processing laser optical system (4) of the laser tool (2) without damage, and a measuring instrument (1, 20) designed according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is inserted into the processing laser optical system (4) in place of the optical protection element (5, 16).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE102020211533.8 | 2020-09-15 | ||
| DE102020211533.8A DE102020211533B3 (en) | 2020-09-15 | 2020-09-15 | Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece processing device, and method for measuring a distance |
| PCT/EP2021/075063 WO2022058270A1 (en) | 2020-09-15 | 2021-09-13 | Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece-machining device, and method for measuring a distance |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN116113515A true CN116113515A (en) | 2023-05-12 |
Family
ID=77914299
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN202180062988.2A Pending CN116113515A (en) | 2020-09-15 | 2021-09-13 | Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece processing device and method for measuring a distance |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN116113515A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE102020211533B3 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2022058270A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102011121697B4 (en) * | 2011-12-16 | 2016-04-14 | Precitec Kg | Laser processing device for processing a workpiece by means of a laser beam |
| DE102014113283B4 (en) * | 2014-09-15 | 2016-11-03 | Blackbird Robotersysteme Gmbh | Device for remote laser processing with sensor scanner device |
| DE102015200263A1 (en) | 2015-01-12 | 2016-07-14 | Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh + Co. Kg | Method for updating data of a material processing machine and associated material processing machine and replaceable machine component |
| DE102015107556B3 (en) * | 2015-05-13 | 2016-09-01 | Precitec Gmbh & Co. Kg | Cassette module for holding an optical element in a laser processing system |
| DE102015115803A1 (en) | 2015-09-18 | 2017-03-23 | Precitec Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method for guiding a machining head along a track to be processed |
| DE102016122830A1 (en) * | 2016-11-25 | 2018-05-30 | NoKra Optische Prüftechnik und Automation GmbH | Method and arrangement for distance measurement |
| DE102017115922C5 (en) | 2017-07-14 | 2023-03-23 | Precitec Gmbh & Co. Kg | Method and device for measuring and setting a distance between a machining head and a workpiece and associated method for regulation |
-
2020
- 2020-09-15 DE DE102020211533.8A patent/DE102020211533B3/en active Active
-
2021
- 2021-09-13 CN CN202180062988.2A patent/CN116113515A/en active Pending
- 2021-09-13 WO PCT/EP2021/075063 patent/WO2022058270A1/en active Application Filing
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2022058270A1 (en) | 2022-03-24 |
| DE102020211533B3 (en) | 2022-02-03 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6720567B2 (en) | Apparatus and method for focal point control for laser machining | |
| US10967452B2 (en) | Device for measuring the depth of a weld seam in real time | |
| CN105829828B (en) | Method for measuring penetration depth of laser beam into workpiece and laser processing equipment | |
| US8520219B2 (en) | Non-contact sensor having improved laser spot | |
| EP2042258B1 (en) | Laser processing system and laser processing method | |
| CN111247403B (en) | Device and method for determining the focal position of a laser beam in a laser processing system, and laser processing system having such a device | |
| EP2253418A1 (en) | Machining method and machining system | |
| US9296067B2 (en) | Laser processing machine, in particular laser cutting machine, and method for centering a laser beam, in particular a focused laser beam | |
| US10739191B2 (en) | Determining a beam profile of a laser beam | |
| US10761037B2 (en) | Laser processing device for determining the presence of contamination on a protective window | |
| US9194762B2 (en) | Machining head for a laser machining apparatus | |
| US10213869B2 (en) | Laser machining apparatus with adaptive mirror | |
| CN112703079A (en) | Orientation unit, sensor module comprising an orientation unit and laser processing system comprising a sensor module | |
| CN212470240U (en) | Light beam pointing stability monitoring and feedback device | |
| CN110198804B (en) | Laser processing head and laser processing device using same | |
| KR20220104819A (en) | Method for measuring distance by OCT and related computer program product for focus control for laser processing of materials | |
| CN110023025B (en) | Core adjusting method | |
| JP7504743B2 (en) | Method for detecting the operating state of an optical element arranged along the propagation path of a laser beam of a machine for processing materials, a system for carrying out said method, and a laser processing machine equipped with said system | |
| CN116113515A (en) | Measuring instrument for a laser tool, laser tool and workpiece processing device and method for measuring a distance | |
| JP3198830B2 (en) | Laser processing machine | |
| CN116275475A (en) | Method and device for correcting path deviation when laser direction changes and machine tool | |
| KR100696395B1 (en) | Method for controlling the LASER beam in a LASER processing apparatus | |
| KR101782377B1 (en) | Cutting tools correctly installed equipment and installation normal method of using the same | |
| EP4092473A1 (en) | Laser apparatus and laser machining apparatus using same | |
| EP1364203A2 (en) | Remote laser beam delivery system and method for use for ultrasonic testing purposes |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination |